NATO Selects Saab GlobalEye for the Future Alliance Airborne Early Warning Capability
AeroMorning – July 2026
NATO chooses Saab GlobalEye to replace the E-3A AWACS fleet
On 7 July 2026, NATO announced the selection of Saab’s GlobalEye airborne early warning and control AEW&C system as the Alliance’s future multinational airborne surveillance capability.
This decision paves the way to replace NATO’s ageing Boeing E-3A AWACS fleet, in service since the 1980s for command, control and surveillance missions.
According to NATO’s official announcement, eleven Allied nations will participate in the acquisition: Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland and Sweden. This is a pooled NATO capability, not a set of national fleets.
Saab stated the same day that negotiations would begin for the acquisition of up to ten GlobalEye aircraft. At this stage it is a selection and the launch of contractual discussions rather than a final production contract.
Sources
– NATO, NATO’s new Airborne Warning and Control System is announced, 7 July 2026
– Saab, NATO selects Saab GlobalEye as future airborne early warning capability, 7 July 2026
A new industrial balance for NATO AEW&C
NATO had previously considered the Boeing E-7 Wedgetail as a successor to the E-3A. The E-7 is based on the Boeing 737 Next Generation with the Northrop Grumman MESA radar.
The GlobalEye choice creates a different industrial balance. Saab is prime and systems integrator, the aircraft platform is the Canadian-built Bombardier Global 6500, and mission systems and sensors are sourced internationally. The approach maintains transatlantic cooperation while broadening industrial diversity and reducing dependence on a single supplier.
Why NATO selected GlobalEye
Multi-domain surveillance
Designed for modern environments, GlobalEye combines:
- long-range air surveillance
- maritime monitoring
- ground activity detection
- command and control functions
- intelligence and data sharing
Efficiency and endurance
Using the Global 6500 business jet platform delivers lower fuel burn, reduced operating costs, a smaller logistical footprint, high deployment flexibility, and around 11 hours of endurance depending on mission.
Maturity and timelines
GlobalEye is already operational with multiple users, reducing development risk and enabling faster fielding to replace the E-3A AWACS.
Saab GlobalEye: key features
Platform and performance
- Platform: Bombardier Global 6500
- Prime: Saab
- Role: AEW&C, multi-domain surveillance, C2
- Endurance: approximately 11 hours
- Ceiling: around 40,000 feet
Sensors and mission systems
Main sensor: Erieye Extended Range AESA radar mounted above the fuselage, providing long-range detection, simultaneous multi-target tracking, air and maritime surveillance, and operation in contested electromagnetic environments.
GlobalEye also integrates electronic support measures, secure communications, tactical data links, and command-and-control systems, with real-time information sharing across NATO networks.
European participation and national approaches
France: separate national GlobalEye program
France supports GlobalEye but is not part of the NATO pooled procurement, having already selected the aircraft nationally. The French Air and Space Force announced six GlobalEye to replace its E-3F Sentry, ensuring sovereign control while maintaining NATO interoperability.
Italy: existing CAEW capability
Italy fields G550-based CAEW aircraft developed by IAI and maintains national C2 architectures, with no announced requirement to join the NATO GlobalEye purchase.
Spain: no national AWACS fleet
Spain does not operate a national AWACS fleet and remains covered by NATO’s collective airborne surveillance when deployed as needed, with no decision announced to join the GlobalEye procurement.
United Kingdom: continuing with Boeing E-7 Wedgetail
The UK selected the E-7 Wedgetail in 2018 to replace its E-3D, procuring five aircraft on the 737NG platform. The British program proceeds independently from NATO’s GlobalEye acquisition path.
Strategic implications and conclusion
GlobalEye will form the backbone of NATO’s future multinational AEW&C capability, providing modern multi-domain surveillance, lower operating costs, improved flexibility, and greater industrial diversity. While the E-7 Wedgetail remains in service with some Allies, the GlobalEye decision reflects a broader shift toward interoperable capabilities balancing operational effectiveness, industrial sovereignty, and sustained transatlantic cooperation.
